Signal lamp for automobiles



Nov. 20, 1934. J. M. FENNA SIGNAL LAMP FOR AUTOMOBILES Filed July 17, 1935 INVENTOR ATTORN n mlm! ',y-vlTNEss l' Jme-S M enna BY I I i* l a l E I VVPatented Nov. 20, 1934 UNITED s'rxrlssI PATENT OFFICE Y 1 .Claim.

This invention relates to signal lamps for automobiles. 4

An object of the invention is the provision of a simple, compact signallamp in which is co- 5 ordinated a number of lamp units for giving various signals to the trafc atthe rear of the automobile.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a signal lamp for automobiles in which a casing is provided having an open face presenting a substantially rectangular central opening and triangularly-shaped openings at the ends of the rectangularly-shaped openinga sheet of metal being pressed to form a series of pockets for housing lampsr with the pockets being received by the openings in the casing, the centrally disposed pocket forming the shaft of a conventional arrow with the end pockets outlining conventional arrow heads, a lamp in the central pocket 20 being adapted to be illuminated simultaneously with a lamp in an end pocket for indicating a right or lett turn.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of the following detailed description, in view of the accompanyingdrawing forming a part of the specication; nevertheless, it is to be understood that the invention is not con- 'ned to the disclosure, beingsusceptible of such changes and modifications which shall define no material departure frommthe salient features of f the invention as expressed in the appended claim.

In thev drawing:

Figure 1 is a front view in elevation of a signal lamp constructed in accordance with the principles of my invention,

Figure 2 is a horizontal section taken along the line 2-2 of Figure 1, and Figure 3 shows more or less diagrammatically the electric wiring for the lamps. A

Referring more particularly to the drawing, 10 designates a. housing having an open face with a rib 11 pressed from the metal adjacent the outer edge of the housing to form a shoulder for a vpurpose which will be presently described. The central portion of the housing, as shown at 12, is substantially rectangular in shape while the end portions of the housing, as shown at 13 and 14, are triangular in shape. 4

A sheet of metal is pressed to form a plurality of end pockets 15-16 anda plurality of elongated centrally disposed pockets 17. The walls of the pockets may be so treated that they will act as reectors. From an inspection oi! Fig. 1 it will be seen that. two of the elongated pockets are located upon opposite sides of the third or centrally disposed pocket 1'7. The'peripheries of the metal forming the pockets 15 and 16 are flanged, as shown at 2G, and these-flanges rest upon ribs 1l. The portions of the metal plate 60 betweenthe pockets"1517 and 16-17 are prof vided With shoulders 21 and 22 with an upstanding rib 23 located between the shoulders.

Each of the pockets is closed by a transparent or translucent sheet of material, such as glass, or 05 any other suitable material and these cover plates are bowed outwardly as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

A transparent or translucent cover plate 25 is provided with a peripheral flange 26 resting upon the ribs 20 and the shoulders 22. The centrally 70 disposed cover plates 27 are likewise provided With peripheral anges 28 resting on the shoulders 21. The end transparent or translucent cover plate 30 has peripheral flanges 31 resting on the shoulder 22 and and the rib 11'.

A cover plate 33 has a laterally disposed flange 34 embracing the outer wall of the casing 10 and is secured to said casing by means of screws 35. The portion of the cover plate, as shown at 36, is in the form of a curved flange which engages the flange 26 of the member 25, the outer faces of the members 27 and certain of the iia'iges of the plate 30'. Transverse strips 40 .and .longitudinally disposed strips 41 are curved transversely, as shown in Fig. l2, and engage the adjacent flanges 26, 28 and 31 of the transparent or translucent cover plates 25, 27, and 30 so that when the cover 33 is secured in` osition the plates 25, 27, and 30 will be secured to the shoulders of the pressed 90 metal plate which forms the pocket and the ribs 11 of the casing 10.

A lamp 50 is located inthe pocket 15 while a lamp 51 is located in the pocket 16. Lamps 52, 53 and 54 are disposed within the pockets 17 and located centrallyl ofthe casing 10.

Referring more particularly to Fig. 3, it will bev seen that the usual storage battery 55 of the automobile has one terminal connected with aswitch element 56 through a wire 57. The switch mem- 100 ber 56 is movable over a plate 58 having contacts 59,.60,61, and 62. The contacts 60 and- 61 are connected by wires 63 and 64V with an audible signal 65 in the -formbf a horn. A wire 70 connects one terminal of thebattery 55 with the stop light 54. A wire '71 isjconnected to a wire'72- which is attached to the other terminal of the battery.A A switch 73 which is normally carried by the brake pedal is adapted to close the circuit to thelamp 54.

A wire 74 connects the tail lamp 53 with the wire 72 and likewise with one 'terminal of then battery 55. A wire 75 connects the lamp 53 with the other terminal of the storage battery. 'A manually operated switch 76 controls the i1lumi nation of the lamp 53.

.A wire 77 is connected to one terminal of the battery through the wire 72 and. with the lamp 52. A wire 78 connects the lamp 52 with a wire 79 which is connected with the lamp 50. A wire 80 connects the lamp 50 with the contact 59.

A wire 8l connects the contact t2 with the lamp 51 and the wire 82 likewise connects the lamp with the wire .79. A pilot lamp 83 is in-l corporated in the wires "i7 so that it will be in series with the lamp 52-50 or with lamp 5l-52.

It will be noted that the members e@ and 36 of the outer metal covering for the housing 10, in connection with the ribs 23 and ll, seal the pockets and likewise the housing lo against foreign material from the atmosphere.

The operation of my device is as follows: If the operator of a vehicle is making a right hand turn the switch element 56 is moved towards the con tact 62, as shown in Fig. 3. As it engages the contacts 61 the horn 65 is energized and produces a sound in advance of any visible signalling means in order to give warning to the driver following theautomobile that'a change in direction is about to be made. As the element 56 is moved to engage the Contact 62 the lamps 51 and 52 will be illuminated so that an arrow will appear at the front of the housing or casing in illumination, thus indicating a right hand turn.

When the member 56 is moved to the left of Fig. 3 it engages the contact 60,'thereby causing the horn 65 to produce a sound in advance of the illumination of the left hand arrow. Continued noemen movement of the arm 56 willv cause the arm to engage the contact 59 so that the lamps 52 and 5o will be illuminated showing the arrow with its shaft pointing towards the left.

The lamp 54 is only illuminated when the brake pedal is depressed, thereby closing the switch '13.

'The tail lamp 53 is illuminated. only when the switch 76 is closed.

lt will be seen by this constructionthat the pilot lamp 83 being in series with the two groups of lamps 51-52 and 50W-52 will indicate at all times that the lamps in the housing which illuminate the arrows are in. good condition.

lt will be further seen by this construction that a compact arrangement is provided in which the central lamp pocket i? will crm-operate witheither lamp 51 or 50 for indicating respectively a right or left hand turn.

y ll claim: f

A signal lamp for automobiles comprising a casing having an-open face, said casing having a plurality of sections formed of a sheet of metal having depressed pockets and tted into the casing, the walls of the pockets outlining said sections and having upstanding ribs and shoulders upon opposite sides of the ribs, transparent cover plates for the pockets having the inner peripheral portions abutting the ribs and resting on the shoulders, a metal cover plate having openings aligning with the pockets, bars secured to the cover plate and engaging the adjacently-disposed edges of the transparent cover plates, an electric lamp in each pocket, and an annular rib pinched from metal of the casing being located on the inner wall of the casing and forming a shoulder to support the outer edges of the transparent plates.

JAMES M. FENNA. 

